We can come to look upon the deaths of our enemies with as much regret as we feel for those of our friends, namely, when we miss their existence as witnesses to our success.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Nations often criticize each other, and each has valid points in their criticisms.
This quote by Arthur Schopenhauer highlights the tendency of nations to mock and belittle others, suggesting that such ridicule is a common behavior across cultures. Each nation perceives flaws in others that resonate with their own experiences, leading to a mutual recognition of faults that may indeed be valid. The quote speaks to the universal nature of criticism and the subjective perspective that underlies national identities.
Themes
CriticismNationsValidityRidiculePerspective
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a debate about international relations to illustrate how countries often highlight faults in each other while ignoring their own.
More from Arthur Schopenhauer
All quotes βTo be shocked at how deeply rejection hurts is to ignore what acceptance involves. We must never allow our suffering to be compounded by suggestions that there is something odd in suffering so deeply. There would be something amiss if we didn't.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Life is full of troubles and vexations, that one must either rise above it by means of corrected thoughts, or leave it.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Our religions will never at any time take root; the ancient wisdom of the human race will not be supplanted by the events in Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom flows back to Europe, and will produce a fundamental change in our knowledge and thought.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
We will gradually become indifferent to what goes on in the minds of other people when we acquire a knowledge of the superficial nature of their thoughts, the narrowness of their views and of the number of their errors. Whoever attaches a lot of value to the opinions of others pays them too much honor.
Arthur SchopenhauerRead
Similar quotes
What is the source of all this trouble? I'm saying that the source is basically in thought. Many people would think that such a statement is crazy, because thought is the one thing we have with which to solve our problems. That's part of our tradition.
David BohmRead
It is essential that justice be done, and it is equally vital that justice not be confused with revenge, for the two are wholly different.
Oscar AriasRead
The mad sometimes drilled holes in their own heads to let the demons out. To relieve the pressure of thoughts they could no longer bear. Jude understood the impulse. Each beat of his heart was a fresh and staggering blow felt in the nerves behind his eyes and in his temples. Punishing evidence of life.
Joe HillRead
In my last year of school, I was voted Class Optimist and Class Pessimist. Looking back, I realize I was only half right.
Jack NicholsonRead
When you have strong views about how to approach thinking about the law, then that view is going to lead to certain results in certain situations. And so people seem to think this predictability is based on some kind of partisan political view. But it's not.
Sonia SotomayorRead
I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone.
H. L. MenckenRead